Fractures and Bisphosphonates: does osteoporosis treatment affect fracture healing?

ISRCTN ISRCTN62133820
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN62133820
Secondary identifying numbers 19403
Submission date
16/05/2011
Registration date
22/06/2011
Last edited
12/04/2019
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Prof Stuart Ralston
Scientific

University of Edinburgh
Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine
Western General Hospital
Edinburgh
EH4 2XU
United Kingdom

Study information

Study designDouble-blind randomised controlled multicentre study
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleFractures and Bisphosphonates: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial on the effect of alendronic acid on healing and clinical outcomes in wrist fractures
Study acronymFaB
Study hypothesisBisphosphonates are widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis. Although fractures often occur in patients with osteoporosis who are on bisphosphonate therapy, the effects of bisphosphonates on fracture healing have not been adequately studied in humans.
Sometimes bisphosphonates are withheld because of the theoretical concern about an adverse effect on fracture healing, but sometimes bisphosphonate therapy is continued. It remains unclear whether early treatment might be advantageous or deleterious to fracture healing and clinical outcome.

This study will investigate the effect of alendronic acid on radiological fracture healing in the context of a randomised placebo controlled trial. Patients aged 50 and over who have fractured their wrist and are not on bisphosphonate therapy will be invited to take part in the study.
Ethics approval(s)Fife and Forth Valley REC, 03/08/2011
ConditionFracture healing
InterventionParticipants are allocated to receive either 70mg alendronic acid or placebo once-weekly for 24 weeks. It will be compared against a matched placebo. Participants will take study medication for 24 weeks
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhaseNot Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Alendronic acid
Primary outcome measure1. Comparing the fracture healing between both arms at 4 weeks using X-rays
2. Fractures will be defined as healed when the following features are present:
2.1. Bridging of three out of four cortices
2.2. Radiographic evidence of endosteal healing
2.3. Organised trabecular bridging
3. Also, a time to event analysis will also be performed to evaluate the trajectory of fracture healing from radiographs taken at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks
Secondary outcome measures1. Upper limb function will be assessed by using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Outcome Measure
2. The DASH is a validated 30-item questionnaire which has previously been shown to detect changes of disability over time after injury or surgery in patients with upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders
3. The effect of alendronate on the DASH score during the trial will be measured by comparing the change in DASH score from initial fracture to each timepoint (baseline, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 26 weeks) for both treatment groups
4. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I will be assessed at weeks 6 and 26 using the clinical Budapest Criteria
5. Pain will be assessed using an 11 point (0-10) Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and by recording the amount of analgesia used in the 24 hours prior to questioning
6. Participants will be asked rank their pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable) 7. The difference in pain and analgesia use at baseline, weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 26 will be compared between both treatment groups
8. Active range of movement (AROM) and grip strength of both the affected and unaffected hand will be measured at weeks 8 and 26, using a goniometer and hand dynamometer respectively
9. The differences between the range of movement and grip strength in each hand will be used to compare the two treatment groups
Overall study start date30/09/2011
Overall study end date29/09/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants500
Total final enrolment421
Participant inclusion criteriaCurrent inclusion criteria as of 19/09/2012:
1. Patients (male and female) aged 50 years and over
2. Patients must have suffered a distal radial fracture confirmed by X-ray radiograph
3. The distal radial fracture must be:
3.1. Unilateral extra-articular or minimal articular
3.2. Displaced or un-displaced
3.3. Treated with cast/splint, external fixation or open reduction and internal fixation
4. Patients willing and able to consent and comply with study protocol

Previous inclusion criteria until 19/09/2012:
3.3. Treated with cast, external fixation or open reduction and internal fixation
Participant exclusion criteriaCurrent exclusion criteria as of 19/09/2012:
1. Any of the following:
1.1. current or previous use of zoledronic acid
1.2. current or previous use within the last 2 years of any other bisphosphonate
1.3. current or previous use within the last 6 months of strontium ranelate, calcitonin, denosumab, parathyroid hormone (PTH) or intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and oral corticosteroids (inhaled corticosteroids such as asthma inhalers are acceptable)
2. Previous distal radial fracture on affected side
3. Bilateral distal radial fracture
4. Contraindications to alendronic acid, including but not limited to:
4.1. Abnormalities of the oesophagus and other factors which delay oesophageal emptying such as stricture or achlasia
4.2. Inability to stand or sit upright for at least 30 minutes
4.3. Hypersensitivity to alendronate or any of its excipients
4.4. Known hypocalcaemia
4.5. Known renal impairment
5. Women of childbearing potential not using adequate contraception
6. Pregnancy
7. The distal radial fracture is due to other pathologies e.g. Paget’s Disease of Bone, metastatic bone disease etc.

Previous exclusion criteria until 19/09/2012:
1. Any of the following:
1.1. Current or previous use of zoledronic acid
1.2. Current or previous use within the last 2 years of any other bisphosphonate
1.3. Current or previous use within the last 6 months of strontium ranelate, calcitonin, denosumab, parathyroid hormone (PTH) or intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and oral corticosteroids (inhaled corticosteroids such as asthma inhalers are acceptable)
2. Previous distal radial fracture on affected side
3. Bilateral distal radial fracture
4. Contraindications to alendronic acid, including but not limited to:
4.1. Abnormalities of the oesophagus and other factors which delay oesophageal emptying such as stricture or achlasia
4.2. Inability to stand or sit upright for at least 30 minutes
4.3. Hypersensitivity to alendronate or any of its excipients
4.4. Hypocalcaemia at baseline (serum adjusted calcium <2.2mmol/l)
4.5. Renal impairment at baseline [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 35ml/min as assessed by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula]
5. Women of childbearing potential not using adequate contraception
6. Pregnancy
Recruitment start date02/04/2012
Recruitment end date29/09/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Scotland
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH4 2XU
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Edinburgh (UK)
University/education

Academic and Clinical Central Office for Research and Development (ACCORD)
Research & Development Management Suite
The Queen’s Medical Research Institute
47 Little France Crescent
Edinburgh
EH16 4TJ
Scotland
United Kingdom

Website http://www.accord.ed.ac.uk/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01nrxwf90

Funders

Funder type

Charity

Arthritis Research UK (UK) (ref no 19403)
Private sector organisation / Other non-profit organizations
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing planThe data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/06/2019 12/04/2019 Yes No

Editorial Notes

12/04/2019: Publication reference, total final enrolment number and IPD sharing statement added.
04/04/2016: No publications found, verifying study status with principal investigator